DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1927, Page 4

DOMINION ITEMS.

[ny TELEGRAPH—rER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

aiedical congress. DUNEDIN*. Jan. 24

Dr J,. E. Barnett, 0.M.G., who is to lie the new president of the Australasian Medical Congress (8.M.A.) which will meet in Dunedin next month, this morning made a statement ns to the largest meeting of the medical profession that has ever been held in the Dominion. The Congress, now under the aegis of the British Medical Association, occupies the place formerly held by the Intercolonial Medical Congress. Tho present memltcrship is approximately 400. The Inst meeting of the Congress in the Dominion was held in 1914. at Auckland. The meetings are held trienuially in. the Commonwealth and in New Zealand. The matters discussed are purely professional and scientific. Naturally, there are many points of contact between the profession and (he public 0.g.. in the prevention of disease, in diet, in health administration, etc., and those aspects are placed in the forefront t throughout the various meetings. The Congress will he formally opened on February 3rd. when the retiring ; president Sir George Syme, of Melbourne, will install the new president, | Dr L. E. Barnett, C.M.G.. of Dunedin, j who will then deliver his inaugural address. 1 The Hon Mr Dawnie Stewart and 1 the Minister for Health (the Hon. M.r i Young) will also ho present, and pro- j hably the Hon Air McLeod. j The Governor-General usually opens ' these Congresses, hut Sir Charles Kergusson will he absent owing to his duties in connection with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, and

the Prime Minister (Ah- Coates) will also be absent.

UXUSUA L CER.F.AIOXY. . AUCKLAND, Jail. 24

The baptism of two baby girls formed an unusual and impressive finale to an open air beach service oil Rangitnto Island yesterday morning. The infants were carried in the arms of I heir .godparents. Sheltered hy sunshades they slept peacefully through the service, and when the proceedings concluded the parents approached the Rev. Jasper Colder and asked him whether he could christen the babies for them. The City Afissioner had'not expected anything of the kind anti he was in some doubt at first as to whether ;t would he advisable to adopt so unusual a course, hut the obvious earnestness of the parents convinced him, and tho sacrament of baptism was celebrated there and then. The babies were carried to the water's edge, and with the eternal ocean as tho font and tho blue vault of the sky as the roof, the words of the service were read. Afr Caldor stood in the tide and received each child in turn, stooping down and crossing the baby’s forehead with sea water.

Defort dismissing (he gathering tho missionor reminded his hearers that baptism in the sea had heen performed during the early ages of the faith, .several instances being recorded in Holv Writ.

RECORD SHARK CATCH. M ELLINGTON, Janunrv 25. A teiegram from AVhitiaiiga, from \i ells. Secret arv ol the Swordfish Club, ‘■'tales a world's record hammer h'-unl -hark ol Oil lbs. was landed at Morcerv Pav yesterday, by J. D. Bryce, ol Maharoa, in i|i ( , launch Renown.

■j PRIEST ASSAULTED. • j ELDERLY MAX'S OFFENCE. ■; _ UniISTCIirKCU, dan. 2-1. At the Rangiora Police Court yesterday betore Mr C. j. Jennings, J.P.. ! and .Mr YY. A. Row.se, J.P.. Aleck I-landlord, an elderly man, pleaded not guilty to a. charge of drunkenness, and guilty to a charge ot having assaulted the Rev Father P. O’Doherty by striking him in the face with ids list and knocking him down. Sergeant Cassidy stated that lie was called to the Raman Gnholie Presbvterv just before midnight on Saturday in consef|iienee of tile drunken bol«ivious of Handford. who was employed as labourer on the place. lie found I him asleep find left him. tin Sunday altcrnonn ho received another call to the Presbytery, and when on his way met accused, who said he had given Father O Doherty a hiding and he would give him one if ho wanted it. Accused was under the influence of licpior, and witness arrested him. Father O’Doherty stated that Father Keen and ho were away during last week and I landlord was left in charge of the place. When witness returned cm Saturday lie found accused the worse for licpior. and that lie h|id been drinking all through the week. On Sunday afternoon when lie had sober- j ed up somewhat witness went lo bis room and told him that he would have to leave. Accused thereupon struck him on the forehoncT with his fist and knocked him clown. Witness got away Iroin him and telephoned to Sergeant Cassidy. Accused threatened injury to the housekeeper For having informed I witness of his behaviour during the week.

Asked if lie liael anything to snv ;.iecused expressed keen regret for having struc k Father O'Doherty, and •begged the Bench to fine him rather than send him to gaol. On the charge of drunkenness arused was convicted and discharged, and for the assault lie was fined £.T. with the alternative of fourteen clays in Paparua Prison. Tie was allowed til! Wodnosiiv to find the monev.

LEGACIES PAYABLE. AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. Substantial legacies will be paid to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind and tile trustees of St. Andrew’s Church. Epsom, during the next few days. The bequests are from the estate of the late Wil’inm Greenwood, one of Auckland's pioneers, and have become available by reason of the death of certain beneficiaries under the will who were given life interests in portion of the estate. The Public Trustee at Auckland, Mr R. W. Ward, the sole trustee under the will, estimates that sum of (approximately £2500 will be available for equal distribution between tbc* Institute ami ilie church.

REPAIRS TO CABLE. AUCKLAND. Jan. 2-1. Smart cable repairing work was carried out by the Pacific Cable Bonrd's steamer Iris, which returned to Auckland yesterday morning after repairing a fault in the Australian-Tnsmanian cable. The Tris sailed from Auckland on January 5, and six-and-p-hnlf days later (lie vessel ca'lod at Williarrfstown and took on board ten miles of the type B cable. She then proceeded to a position IS 1 , miles off Low Head. Tasmania, where the fault in the cable was estimated to be. On reaching that position the accuracy of the navigators on board was shown by the fact that the. first drag with grapnels in 10 fathoms of water hooked the cable, which was j then hoisted to the Bow of the Iris mid J tested. |

The first test showed that the Tasmanian end of the cable was In good order. A test was then made of the Australian portion of the cable, nml so accurate had the estimate of the shore cable operators been that the fault wps found to be within a quarter of a. mi’o of the soot where the Iris was anchored. The cable was then cut and the Tasmanian portion dropned overboard .attached to a buoy. The cable connected with Australia was then lifted on board the Iris until the faulty portion was reached. The damaged cable was cut- away, and the end of The new cable on board was soliced on in its place. Paying out the new cable the Iris returned to the hn or ed end of the Tasmanian cable, which was taken on board, and spliced j

to the required length of the new cable, which measured 1.1 nautical miles. Tho total time taken to locate and repair the cable was only eleven working hours. Afterwards tho Iris returned to AVilliamstown and landed tho surplus portion of the new cablo taken on Iward. Fine weather prevailed throughout the voyage.

CLAIAI FOR DAMAGES.

AUCKLAND, Jnn. o

Reserved judgment in the claim made by the Official Assignee on behalf of tiie estate of the late Hassell Garland, sharebroker, of Auckland, who committed suicide last year, was given by Air Povnton. S.AL. in the Afagistrate’s Court.' Defendant wlis G. L. Bradley, and the claim was for £93 13s lOd damages for alleged failure of defendant to complete the purchase of shares. “Tho first transaction related to 200 mining shares bought on ALiy 5 lust I>\- defendant and sold through Garland,” said tho Magistrate. “Defendant denies tlil.it lie authorised deceased to purchase any shares after that date. In deceased's books a complete pui- < luise is recorded as Hiving taken place in July last, and if is in respect of this that the present claim arises. The defence is that no authority was given to deceased to purcHiso such shares, and further, that when defendant became aware of the claim ho called on Garland and repudiated the transaction. and deceased accepted the repudiation. A second defence is raise liner the Stamp Act. Section 447 requires that n contnaet note of any sale of mining shares shall he transmitted to the purchaser within twenty-foui hours after the completion of the sale of shares.

1 “In this ease the contract notc s were sent, hut defendant swears lie never J received them. One was proved to ! have been made out on July 5 and ! posted on July 7. This would render i the sale void bv section 149 of the Stamp Duties Act. 1923. In defended ’ claims on UeUilf of, or against, a deceased person’s estate the Courts meet with difficulty in arriving at a; satisfactory conclusion. The most impor- | taut 'wit.ncs s is silent, and there is I every inducement for tho survivor to lie. ' For this reGson the evidence for ! the defence is examined with critical care. In this ease, however, I accept tho story of the deienee.Judgineiit was given for defendant with costs. Security for appeal was fixed at £ls 15s.